This is a
vital synthesis of current climate science from the March 2009 Copenhagen
Climate Change Conference that involved 2,500 professional participants, most
of them climate science researchers. All were welcome and the program and
abstracts of the papers presented are available here: http://climatecongress.ku.dk/
.

The key moral imperative of the Synthesis Report is “Inaction is inexcusable”.

The members
of the writing team for this extensively and expertly reviewed 2009 Synthesis
Report are listed below together with their credentialing institutional affiliations.

2. Social and environmental
disruption – the
Report details actual climate disruption realities that have ALREADY HAPPENED
such as (a) increased hurricane intensity, drought, fires and flooding
and impacts on tropical diseases, agriculture, malnutrition, and health
in general; (b) major ecosystem damage including boreal forest die-back (N
America), melt of Greenland ice shelf, changes in ENSO amplitude and frequency,
dieback of Amazon rainforest, Atlantic deep water formation, European ozone
hole, boreal forest dieback (Russia), Permafrost and tundra loss (N America,
Russia), Sahara greening, West African monsoon shift, Indian Monsoon chaotic
multistability, instability of West Antarctic ice sheet and changes in
Antarctic bottom water formation; (c) huge decrease in ocean pH (increased
acidity) in the last 2 centuries that is unprecedented over the last 20 million
years and with devastating consequences for coral and crustaceans; (d)
increased species extinction rates 1,000 times that of background rates typical
of the planet’s history; and (e) huge increased risks in relations to species,
extreme weather events, global distribution of impacts, aggregate impacts and
risk of large scale discontinuities.

3. Long term strategy: global
targets and deadline
– “rapid, sustained, and effective mitigation based on coordinated global and
regional action is required to avoid” dangerous climate change” regardless of
how it is defined”. The equilibrium temperature increase is a very damaging
2.0-2.4oC increase over the pre-industrial for a 85-50% decrease on
2000 GHG and a 445-490 ppm CO2-e or 350-400 ppm CO2
peaking at 2000-2015 (roughly the current situation with CO2-e of 460 ppm but with
zero net emissions) – however, this rises to a catastrophic 4.9-6.1oC
increase for a 90-140% increase on 2000 GHG and a 855-1130 ppm CO2-e
or 660-790 ppm CO2 peaking at 2060-2090 (this latter scenario
exceeding the projections of world-leading per capita GHG polluter and
world #1 coal exporter Australia which under present policies will increase its
Domestic and Exported GHG pollution on the 2000 value by about 80% by 2050: http://sites.google.com/site/yarravalleyclimateactiongroup/australia-s-5-off-2000-ghg-pollution-by-2020-endangers-australia-humanity-and-biosphere
).

The most
shocking finding (apart from the immense, life-threatening climate
disruption already occurring across the world with a temperature of +0.7oC
above that in 1900 and with a further circa 1oC virtually
inevitable) is the over 50% probability of exceeding very damaging +2oC
if we have as our target the "zero net emissions" target from the
present atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) level of about 460 ppm
CO2-equivalent.

4. Equity dimension – “climate change is having, and
will have, strongly differential effects on people within and between countries
and regions, on this generation and future generations, and on human societies
and the natural world ... tackling climate change should be seen as integral to
the broader goals of enhancing socio-economic development and equity throughout
the world” .

5. Inaction is inexcusable – “Society already has many tools
and approaches – economic, technological, behavioural, and managerial – to deal
effectively with the climate change challenge. If these tools are not widely
and vigorously implemented, adaptation to the unavoidable climate change and
the social transformation required to decarbonise economies will not be
achieved. A wide range of benefits will flow from a concerted effort to achieve
effective and rapid adaptation and mitigation. These include job growth in the
sustainable sector; reductions in the health, social, economic and environmental
costs of climate change; and the repair of ecosystems and revitalisation of ecosystem
services".

For a clear statement about
climate emergency facts and required actions see the summary provided by the
Melbourne-based Yarra Valley Climate Action Group: http://sites.google.com/site/yarravalleyclimateactiongroup/climate-emergency-facts-and-required-actions
. The key required actions advocated include: 1. Change of societal philosophy to one of scientific risk management
and biological sustainability
with complete cessation of species extinctions and zero tolerance for lying.2. Urgent reduction of atmospheric CO2
to a safe level of about 300 ppm as
recommended by leading climate and biological scientists.3. Rapid switch to the best non-carbon and renewable
energy (solar, wind, geothermal,
wave, tide and hydro options that are currently roughly the same market price
as coal burning-based power) and to energy efficiency, public transport,
needs-based production, re-afforestation and return of carbon as biochar to
soils coupled with correspondingly rapid cessation of fossil fuel
burning, deforestation, methanogenic livestock production and population
growth.

A clear strategy to get governments to
finally take action over the climate emergency is the so-called ABC Protocol that
involves (A) Accountability of greenhouse gas (GHG)-polluting
climate criminals imposing GHG pollution on all peoples and species (e.g. by
naming via an electronic Climate Doomsday Book or virtual Climate
Doomsday Monument of bad and good guys; by using a Green Credentialling or
Green Certification system to identify products, people, companies and
countries we can support and those we must boycott; and by international and
intra-national sanctions, boycotts, green tariffs, reparations demands, civil
actions and criminal prosecutions); (B) a Badge that activists can
wear with a simple core pictorial or word message (e.g. “Climate Emergency” or
“Climate Emergency Network”) or a core numerical message (e.g. “300”
or “350” to indicate the urgent need to reduce atmospheric CO2
concentration to about 300 parts per million (ppm) or to less than 350 ppm,
respectively); and (C) a Credo or core statement of beliefs e.g. “Safe and sustainable existence for all peoples and all species on
our warming-threatened Planet requires a rapid reduction of
atmospheric CO2 to 300 ppm”
(see: http://sites.google.com/site/300orgsite/letter-to-island-nations---accountability-badge-and-credo-abc-protocol-icc-prosecutions-may-yet-save-island-states-planet
).

6. Meeting the challenge - the key final conclusion was
ultimately one about human values and the enormous risk we face:
"Ultimately these human dimensions of climate change [the cultures and
worldviews of individuals and communities] will determine whether humanity
eventually achieves the great transformation that is in sight at the beginning
of the 21st century or whether humanity ends the century with a "miserable
existence in a +5oC world".

The
ultimate philosophic point is what VALUE do we place on other peoples and other
species? The Australia-based 300.org is explicit in its position, a position that
is shared by the Climate Emergency Network, the influential Melbourne-based
Yarra Valley Climate Action Group, and by the over 140 climate action groups that attended
the January 2009 Canberra Climate Action Summit: “There must be a
safe and sustainable existence for all peoples and all species on our
warming-threatened Planet and this requires a rapid reduction of atmospheric
carbon dioxide concentration to about 300 parts per million” (see: http://sites.google.com/site/300orgsite/300-org
).